‘Hambone’ Williams relishes his net gains

Williams, recently honored by the San Diego Jocks about a month ago — how he’s not in the Breitbard Hall of Fame remains a mystery — walks with a cane now, but he gets around.

He’s fine. He has a 15-year-old son, Tyree, he’s proud of. He refused a ride and walked home after we met in National City. He didn’t want lunch, just coffee. Pride remains a major part of one of the top basketball players this area has produced.

And to think it almost didn’t happen. When Williams arrived at San Diego High, he’d never played organized basketball, and he didn’t start then.

“I’d play some pickup ball in the Memorial gym, played all the time,” he said. “But I didn’t play organized ball until the 11th grade at San Diego. My gym teacher was Birt Slater (who later gained notice for his outstanding football program at Kearny High). He told me I should go play basketball for the team.

“I found myself on the same team with Ezell Singleton (still the best prep quarterback this area has had), Cleveland Jones, all those guys. I still didn’t start right away, until they put me in against Hoover. I gave ’em hell that day. I started after that.”

The highlight for Hambone was playing in Boston, which he loved, and the Celtics were at the top then.

“It was hard, the NBA,” he said. “In a way, I’m still recuperating from the NBA. I watch football now. Basketball has gotten so terrible; so many things are done wrong. But I had a great time. I could outrun John Havlicek. I was the fastest guy on the Celtics, and he was fast. We had great respect for every player. There was pride. The difference between the Celtics and the Rockets was night and day.

“I sit there now and think I could be a millionaire. I look at players acting the fool. I don’t think anybody in sports should be married before they get out. There are too many temptations. It’s not a good job, man, being married and playing sports. They don’t know how to handle it.”

This is a man who went up against my all-time favorite player, Oscar Robertson.

“The Big O was something else,” Williams says. “I actually stole the ball from him once. Nobody took the ball away from Oscar. Nobody made the game look easier.”

But, my, at 6-foot-2, could Hambone handle and pass the basketball.

“Nobody taught me how to pass; I just did it,” he said. “I had 22 assists one night. I made the fast break go in Boston. I was as good a passer as anyone, and I could go from fast to faster. It was easy for me.

“I’ve had a good life. Not many people can work seven years and be retired 25.”

There’s only been one Hambone around here. My guess is there won’t be another. Nor should there be.